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Car Museum showcases 200 vehicles, Abu Dhabi’s history
Car Museum showcases 200 vehicles, Abu Dhabi’s history Silvia Radan / 23 March 2014 Shaikh Hamad created the museum to host much of his car collection, some that he bought himself, some that he built or modified to suit his taste and some that he received as a gift. A suspended, supersized four-wheel vehicle towers over Hameem Road in Abu Dhabi’s Al Gharbia region. A series of speed bumps are meant to slow down every driver, in case the sight tempts him to take his eyes off the road for a bit too long. Those curious enough to stop and check out the suspended Land Rover, will find inside not giant seats, but a small grocery shop and, “upstairs” (yes, it’s big enough to have two floors), a cafe. Behind it, more strikingly oversized vehicles and structures lead the way to the massive pyramid building that houses the Car Museum. Never advertised, barely talked about publicly, rarely in the limelight, the Car Museum is a private one, exhibiting about 200 vehicles, all belonging to Shaikh Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, along with a good chunk of Abu Dhabi’s modern history. “Do you see those two water towers over there? They used to be the Tourist Club water tanks in Abu Dhabi, and because of their shape, they used to be called the Onion Towers,” said Khalfan Al Romaithi, an Emirati from Abu Dhabi, who was visiting the museum with his son Sultan for the third time. Fenced off right next to the museum, the 90s Onion Towers are now known as Aladdin’s Palace! A house in the shape of a massive Earth globe on wheels leads the way to the museum entrance. Next to it is “Al Houdaj”, another house on wheels, built to resemble the seat placed on a camel for women travellers through the desert in the days long gone, a seat known as Al Houdaj. A notice board explains this is one of Shaikh Hamad’s Guinness Book of Records entries, bestowed on him for “manufacturing the largest two-wheeled caravan.” Rainbow Mercedes at the museum. -Supplied photo Officially known as the Emirates National Auto Museum, Shaikh Hamad created the museum to host much of his car collection, some that he bought himself, some that he built or modified to suit his taste and some that he received as a gift. There are cars dating as far back as the 1880s, all the way to 2007. “Shaikh Hamad is known as the Rainbow Shaikh because in the early 80s he painted each of his seven Mercedes 500 SEL in a different rainbow colour. When he learnt that this got him the Rainbow Shaikh nickname, he painted one more Mercedes in all rainbow colours,” explained Al Romaithi. As a young boy, Al Romaithi used to play with Shaikh Hamad’s sons and now, each visit to the Car Museum is one down memory lane. Walking passed the eight wheels Nissan that was recently featured in a Top Gear UK TV show filmed in Abu Dhabi, Al Romaithi stops in front of an enormous Dodge pick up truck. “Dodge was the car used to go out in the desert to look for petrol here, in Abu Dhabi. This one, built in 1994, is about five times the size of a normal Dodge,” said Al Romaithi. “It can move at maximum five kilometres per hour, and the museum has a special door that can open to take it out, if the Shaikh ever needs to,” he added. The eight metres wide Dodge weighs nearly 50 tonnes, sporting wheels from an oil rig transporter. In a rare strike of luck, the inside of the truck was opened and we could have a quick visit. A fully equipped home, with showers, TVs, air conditioning units and furniture in the 70s style revealed itself. Army trucks, a New York taxi, a Mini collection that includes a Padmini S1 made in India in 1997, a 1928 Ford T and a 1967 Pontiac Firebird, all in great shape, are among the exhibits. “These Kenworth truck used to, and still do, transport oil rigs in the desert. They have 18 gears forward and 12 in reverse,” pointed out Al Romaithi. One of the most expensive vehicles in the collection is the “Queen’s Rolls”. The Rolls Royce RR Phantom 6 was the car used by Queen Elizabeth the II during her first visit to Abu Dhabi in the 70s. For Hamad Al Kharoosi, an Emirati visitor from Al Ain, the most exciting vehicle was a 1988 GMC Sierra. “This was my father’s first car! I used to sit in the back and fight with my sister over the single air conditioning spot. Later on, I learnt how to drive on this car,” said Hamad. Back in the outdoors, in the museum’s backyard there is yet another Guinness Record supersized 4×4 and a pretty old looking commercial aircraft that, rumour has it, still has “everything” inside, even the galleys. silvia@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
What makes JBR’s The Walk tick?
What makes JBR’s The Walk tick? Kelly Clarke / 23 March 2014 Dubai’s thriving hotspot attracts people from all over the UAE, even neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Take a stroll around JBR’s The Walk and you’re pretty much set for a great day out. From coffee to shisha, or lunch to a quick dip in the sea, the thriving hotspot attracts people from all over the UAE, even neighbouring Saudi Arabia. So what is it exactly that makes The Walk tick? “It’s wonderful here. It’s got all the points of interest in one place and it’s our favourite place to come on a Saturday,” says Egypt-born Cherine Ragab. And true to her word, I catch Cherine, and her partner Hussam Rezk, strolling along The Walk at noon on Saturday. Living in Dubai for 13 years, the couple says they are big fans of the popular shopping and restaurant strip. The fact that the beach is just a hop, skip and jump away, makes the area even more attractive, especially when friends come to visit. “It’s just everything you need in one place, but we do try to manage ourselves so that we don’t come during peak hours when the crowds are huge,” Hassam says. There is one slight drawback to the beachside destination, though he says. “Parking can be difficult because spaces are usually full. We tend to park down at the end which isn’t too bad as the long walk back to the car helps us burn the calories we just consumed,” he jokes. With the new Beach Mall recently opened to the public — adding a much-needed 1,200 parking spaces to the area — it seems visitors are being put off by the steep pricing, with a hefty Dh20 per hour being charged for the privilege of being smack, bang in the middle of it all. “It’s too expensive, but maybe after this gets printed, prices will be reviewed,” a hopeful Hassam and Cherine say. A tourist’s point of view Continuing my march along The Walk’s cobbled pavement, I spot a couple snapping a photograph of a Dubai Police 4WD, and immediately make a bee-line for the duo. “I take it you guys are tourists,” I ask them, and the response is yes. This is Padraig and Clare McAdam’s first trip to Dubai. Staying at a nearby hotel, the Irish couple says they’ve been down on The Walk every day since arriving on March 17. “It’s nice to walk it and there’s a bit of a buzz about the place. The crowds last night were unreal, and the traffic too. We saw so many vintage cars driving along the strip, it was fantastic,” they tell me. Catching the couple in full tourist mode and fresh from sipping on a coffee at one of the new cafes along Beach Mall, Clare says the location is the area’s biggest selling point. “We heard this mall is new and I think it’s lovely, especially with the beach so close by, although he’s really not a fan of the beach,” she says, pointing to her husband. So how does it compare to other holiday destinations? “We’ve been to Spain, Turkey, France. I think the culture, in this particular area, is missing a wee bit, but I tell you what is nice. The people and the food. The variety is great and the people are so friendly, so that will keep us coming back,” Padraig says. And will JBR be the area of choice on the couple’s next visit? “I think so yes. It was about 50 per cent more expensive to stay at our hotel, compared to the city hotels, but the area was recommended to us and it suits us down to the ground. It’s better than being in the middle of a concrete jungle,” they say. Growing appeal Opened to the public in 2008, JBR’s The Walk is one of Dubai’s most favoured hotspots among residents and tourists alike. As the area continues to expand, with the addition of the Dubai Tramway — which opens its first phase to the public in November — and the new Beach Mall, hosting the world’s biggest TV screen, prices in the area have already begun to rise, but it doesn’t seem to be denting its popularity. Syrian resident Hassan has been living in JBR for two years, and with his tenancy contract up for renewal in a few months, rent is due to increase, but he says he is staying put. “The fact that the beach is close by is a big bonus for me, and some of the shisha on offer is very good, too. My rent is rising, but I need to stay here, so I’m just going to pay whatever they ask ,” he says. Although Tracey Spiller and Dan Minks already live on one of Dubai’s most recognisable landmarks, The Palm, they still find themselves drawn to the JBR area. “We’ve just come down today to grab some breakfast and go to the beach,” Dan says. For Tracey, the visits have not been so frequent since the opening of the new mall. “To be honest, we always used to come down here before, but we don’t come as much because it’s just so packed on the beach and it’s quite far to walk to the restaurants.” But like Cherine and Hassam, the crowds haven’t put them off completely as they say it’s always a place they’ll bring visiting friends and family. So despite a hike in prices and the often-overbearing crowds, it seems the lure of JBR will continue. kelly@khaleejtimes.com FACTS > 1.7km stretch along The Walk > 2008 saw the official opening of The Walk For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
New images of possible Malaysia jet debris
New images of possible Malaysia jet debris (AFP) / 23 March 2014 The images had been passed on to Australian authorities who are coordinating the search for the plane Malaysia said Sunday it had received new satellite images from France showing floating objects in the search area for a missing Malaysian jet in the southern Indian Ocean. The images include “potential objects in the vicinity of the southern corridor”, the Transport Ministry said in a statement. It added the images had been passed on to Australian authorities who are coordinating the search for the plane, now focused on a remote stretch of ocean 2,500 kilometers (1,562 miles) southwest of Perth. The statement gave no details of the number, size or precise location of the objects shown in the French pictures. Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing on March 8 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard. Malaysia, which later revealed the plane turned back over the Malaysian peninsula after losing contact, has enlisted 25 other countries to help hunt for the plane. Efforts in recent days have focused on the coast off Australia after previous satellite images of large objects there were released, and a plane spotted a wooden cargo pallet, along with some belts or straps. Read more: Malaysian plane drama fuels aviation security rethink Read more: Relatives of Malaysia jet’s passengers struggle to cope For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
